‘Midunu Vishwaya’—‘Frozen Cosmos’

By Tharishi Hewavithanagamage

Known for his remarkable contributions to Sri Lankan cinema, Director Jayantha Chandrasiri has become a household name. Throughout his career, Chandrasiri has garnered critical acclaim and numerous accolades for his outstanding contributions to Sri Lankan cinema. His films have been recognised at prestigious film festivals, highlighting his skill in crafting engaging stories that resonate with audiences. With a unique artistic vision and a profound understanding of human emotions, he has crafted several thought-provoking films that have captivated audiences. His latest

Jayantha Chandrasiri’s talent and passion for storytelling, and his ability to delve deep into complex themes and portray them with depth and sensitivity has always captivated audiences both locally and internationally. With the story, script and direction by Jayantha Chandrasiri and Ruwan Jayasinghe serving as the producer, Midunu Vishwaya (Frozen Cosmos) explores more avenues to storytelling and gives Sri Lankan cinema a breath of fresh air.

The film stars Uddika Premaratne, Chulakshi Ranatunga, Udari Warnakulasooriya, Buddhika Jayaratne, Sriyantha Mendis, Damitha Abeyratne, Ayeshara Athukorala, Kusum Renu, Mahesh Wickramasinghe, Sudath Anthony, Wasantha Vitachchi, Nirmala Aluthgama, Ajith de Silva, Uditha Gunaratne, Nuwan Aluthgama, Geetha Perera, Lalith Jayaratne, Lakshman Rajapaksha, Madhurya Mendis, Dileepa Abeysekara, and Gamini Jayalath.

Midunu Vishwaya

(Frozen Cosmos) provides a novel experience to audiences as the tale challenges the boundaries imposed by time. The story follows the protagonist Warenya (Uddika Premarathna) an expert in Western acting techniques and psychoanalysis. During his mental exercises with his students, he crosses paths with Sumadya (Chulakshi Ranathunga), a student with the extraordinary ability to achieve a deep hypnotic trance that transcends space and time.

During a session on hypnotic trance, Sumadya accidentally channels Rajini (Udari Warnakulasooriya), a renowned actress who lived in the 1960s, nearly five decades ago. Warenya at first finds it difficult to comprehend the nature of the situation, but with time warms up to the idea of speaking to Rajini, an actress that he admires.

At first their conversations revolve around Rajini wanting to learn professional acting and Warenya willingly teaching her, but their connection grows as they begin to find solace in each other’s company. Their affection for each other deepens but questions arise around using Sumadya as a conduit. Before long, both Rajini and Warenya are forced to come to terms with reality. Understanding the limitations posed by time, Warenya and Rajini make the difficult decision to walk away and live within the boundaries of their own temporal realities.

Speaking to The Island, Jayantha Chandrasiri delved a little into the behind-the-scenes of the making of this film. Chandrasiri said the inspiration behind his creation was nothing but love itself. “Over the recent years, I have noticed that the society we live in is utterly devoid of love. A society without love is filled with depression, selfishness and danger. I firmly believe that such a society needs to be filled with love, selflessness, compassion and kindness. But for an artist to do this, there should be a strong plot.

“This movie is based on different states of the mind. As you may have noticed, the plot is also quite poetic in its nature. It’s a difficult task to translate poetry into a different language; it’s an even bigger task to bring poetic plots to a silver screen. However, as a filmmaker it’s an advantage to know the right tools to manage your actors effectively. Most of these tools were acquired during the study of the subject field.

The body language of an actor is always stronger than the spoken word. I think the effective management of the actors’ skills helped a great deal in bringing out the emotions and delivering the essence of the film. Moreover, in almost all my work, I use the technique of surrealism to emphasise reality, which can also be seen in ‘Frozen Cosmos’ as well.”

The brilliance of Midunu Vishwaya is the unique approach it takes to explore the theme of love and the dynamics of human relationships, which are rather common themes in the entertainment industry. But the idea that love can transcend time and reality, presents love as a powerful force that can withstand the strength of time and fate. The audience is told, “It’s not fate, but time that mocked us’; this is a constant reminder of the reality of the situation. Jayantha Chandrasiri’s innovative script seamlessly blends the two realities, adding more feeling and authenticity to the emotions portrayed by the characters on screen while paying homage to the bygone era of Sri Lankan cinema.

Chandrasiri’s storytelling prowess lies in his ability to blend compelling narratives with striking visuals, creating a captivating cinematic experience for viewers which he successfully achieves in Midunu Vishwaya. For instance, the distinct demarcation of the two time periods from the behaviour of the characters to the clothes and even the cinematic techniques and styles involved is simply astounding. The smaller, more refined details hidden within adds a new layer of complexity while beautifying the tale. Chandrasiri has done his homework.

It is the cast that adds more value and strength to the tale. The director mentions, “I never have a cast in mind while writing the script. As a scriptwriter, I usually align the mind screen with the correct flow. I’m aware of the fact that It’s impossible to find characters exactly as they appear in my mind but I try to get the best out of the actors.

The effective way to do this is to have a good understanding of the actors so you can have an inlet into their minds.” The main protagonists, Uddika Premaratne and Udari Warnakulasooriya breathe life into the artistic vision of the director and display their ability to undertake the challenge of playing the titular roles.

Director Chandrasiri also discussed the challenges in bringing his visions to life: “Making a movie at present is as difficult as waging war. While making the movie we faced many challenges like the lack of tools and facilities in the Sri Lankan Film industry and high rate of inflation in the country. In the end, we were able to overcome all these challenges and difficulties, mainly due the unfailing support of the producer, Ruwan Jayasinghe.”

The idea of time travel isn’t new to Jayantha Chandrasiri, as he employed the concept in his tele drama Akala Sandhya, bringing it to the big screen is a monumental challenge given the interplay of many elements. However, the director, cast and crew have successfully accomplished the task. Themes of love and human relationships are commonplace in the entertainment industry, but Midunu Vishwaya takes a step further in expanding horizons and exploring it through a different lens.

This fresh take gives cinemagoers something new and exciting to look forward to. The director expressed his great respect and love for his fans and audiences. “In the process of creation, I never insult my audience by investing in nonsensical work. The intention behind all my work is to encourage my audience to uphold quality content. That will remain the same in the years to come.”

“I believe that any piece of art is a way to explore your own mind. It meets you where you are,” Chandrasiri concluded.

At the end of the day, Jayantha Chandrasiri’s latest craft serves as testament to the power of cinema as a medium of storytelling and his profound understanding of human emotions.